The White House publicly backed Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) sought to remove them from key congressional committees.
McCarthy confirmed he would block Schiff and Swalwell from sitting on the House Intelligence Committee and planned to schedule a vote on whether Omar should have a seat on the chamber’s Foreign Affairs panel.
“When it comes to that committee, it should not be politicized. It should be independent,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday of the House Intelligence Committee. “And those congressional members bring a lot of expertise to that committee.”
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Of the trio, she added the members collectively brought “a lot to the table when it comes to foreign policy and national security.”
McCarthy can unilaterally decide his fellow Californians’ fates because the House Intelligence Committee is a select panel, whereas the House Foreign Affairs Committee is not. Schiff has been criticized for his management of the House’s Russia investigation, Swalwell for his relationship with an alleged Chinese spy, and Omar for comments she made that have been perceived as antisemitic.
But Jean-Pierre demurred when asked what McCarthy should do regarding Rep. George Santos (R-NY), particularly whether he should have access to classified documents amid investigations into misrepresentations he has made ranging from his educational background and professional work experience to whether he is Jewish or if his mother died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby tentatively reflected on the classified documents controversy, which not only involves President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, but now also former Vice President Mike Pence.
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“It’s always a balance, and you’re always trying to meet that balance about whether things are classified appropriately,” he said. “I wouldn’t go so far as to slap a BandAid on it yet and say everything’s over-classified.”
